NEW YORK - Reducing delays and backlogs in the civil caseload
will be the target of the Unified Court System's Comprehensive Civil Justice
Program, a wide-ranging set of initiatives designed to enhance the quality
and efficiency of the civil litigation system in New York announced today
by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and Chief Administrative Judge Jonathan Lippman.
The program features an innovative, new civil case management system and
the creation of centralized court parts for cases brought against the City
of New York. This latest court initiative is being introduced amid an alarming
disparity that has developed in recent years - the State's civil caseload
has increased dramatically, while the number of judges handling them has
not kept pace with the burgeoning dockets.

A key focus of the new program is a coordinated effort with the City
of New York to bring to trial thousands of tort cases in which New York
City is a defendant. These cases historically have lagged far behind the
average disposition time of non-City cases. For example, of all trial-ready
cases involving the City, 44 percent are pending over 15 months (the court
system's established time frame for a case to be disposed), compared to
17 percent of non-City cases. Further, the number of older cases in which
the City of New York is a defendant has risen 26 percent over the last
three years. To expedite the adjudication of these cases, centralized court
parts will be created in one location to handle cases involving the City,
and the City has agreed to assign additional attorneys Citywide to try
these cases.

The lynchpin of the Civil Justice Program is a system of differentiated
case management, in which all cases are screened from the onset and assigned
to a specific track - expedited, standard or complex - with designated time
frames for milestone events. The same judge handles a case from beginning
to end, closely monitoring adherence to case time frames and deadlines.
By having judges retain full control of their cases from filing to disposition,
the program takes advantage of the benefits of the Individual Assignment
System, including promoting active, continuous treatment of cases, increasing
attorney compliance with judicially established time frames and maximizing
judges' accountability for their caseloads.

Complementing the creation of a differentiated case management system
and centralized court parts for the disposition of cases against New York
City, the Civil Justice Program features other significant reform measures,
which fall within the following broad areas:- Specialized Treatment of Cases. Specialized treatment of commercial
cases and guardianship cases to be expanded, and new reform measures to
streamline matrimonial litigation to be instituted.
- Simplified, Streamlined Procedures. Legislative and administrative
initiatives to be introduced to simplify civil practice, including uniform
local rules in each judicial district, legislation to provide judges more
flexibility in addressing dilatory litigation and regulating civil deposition
practice, and new jury rules.
- Alternative Approaches to Resolving Civil Matters. Court-annexed
ADR programs to be expanded around the state to increase available dispute
resolution options.
- Technological Advances. Technological innovations, ranging from electronic
filing of court papers to a universal case management program, to be integrated
into civil case processing.

"The Civil Justice Program is the latest in a long list of court initiatives
focusing on making the courts more effective and accountable to the public,"
said Chief Judge Kaye. "Although it may not get banner headlines, the day-to-day
business of civil litigation affects hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers
in our increasingly litigious society. For too long, civil courts have
tolerated costly delays and inefficiencies. This is simply unacceptable.
New Yorkers deserve fair and timely treatment of their cases from a responsible
and forward-looking court system. I am confident that the Civil Justice
Program, like our Family, Criminal, Matrimonial and Housing Programs, will
help to make the courts more responsive to the growing numbers of individuals
who turn to the courts for relief."

Chief Administrative Judge Lippman added, "The centerpiece of the Civil
Justice Program will be a comprehensive case management system that screens
cases from the onset and tailors the treatment of cases to their level
of complexity. Judges will be able to more rigorously monitor all stages
of civil litigation and move cases forward to resolution. The program will
also focus on reducing the backlog of cases against the City of New York
by centralizing their disposition in specialized court parts. The expedited
resolution of such cases will reap benefits for both litigants and taxpayers.
I would like to thank Corporation Counsel Michael Hess for his cooperation
in this critical new program."

New York City Corporation Counsel Michael Hess stated, "I am pleased
that the court system is undertaking this important initiative. To ensure
that sufficient resources are available to support the expeditious disposition
of tort cases involving the City, I will assign more staff attorneys from
my office to work full-time in trying these matters. The City is extending
its full cooperation and commitment to making this program a success."

The changes proposed under the Civil Justice Program will be open to
a 60-day public comment period, during which time members of the bar and
the public will be invited to submit feedback. Comments should be addressed
to:Michael Colodner, CounselOffice of Court Administration25 Beaver StreetNew York, NY 10004Copies of the "Comprehensive Civil Justice Program Report" can be obtained
by calling (212) 428-2500. It has also been posted on the court system
web site at http://ucs.ljx.com.